Professional Documents
Culture Documents
update
1993-2014
ublication
2
Third Party Validation is Imperative
Denver, CO - Entrepreneurs are a varied group of people, but theres one thing
that 93% of them can agree on: reviews
and analysis drive major purchasing decisions for their businesses, according to
new survey results released today by The
Alternative Board (TAB). The survey,
which focuses on B2B sales and what
motivates business owners to make major
purchases, also revealed that entrepreneurs prefer a hands-on approach to testing out new products and services. In fact,
64% prefer personal trial and error - almost
double the 36% who feel comfortable with
a vendor demo alone.
Business
update
ublication
Business Development
Senior Vice President: Diane LaPreze
Senior Vice President: Jim Lroy
Circulation: Aubrey Day
Contributing Writers:Kirk Koeman,
Chris VanBergen, Jane Whittington,
Tensie Homan.
Associate Editor: Jeremy Martin
Printing/Distribution: News Web Printing
Accountant: Michael Tawney & Company
Legal: Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone
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"Economicology"
in
his
book
Economicology:
The
Eleventh
Commandment. It is a combination of
economics and ecology and was
designed to achieve sustainability. It is
the philosophy underlying City High
School in Grand Rapids.
Ostian, a 1970 Aquinas graduate,
has been working at Aquinas since
1972, serving as basketball coach, baseball coach, and, since 1978, as Athletic
Director. He points with pride to the fact
that of student athletes had a 3.0 GPA
or higher, and 50 percent of those had a
3.5 or higher. Ostian says, The most
important part of the college experience
is academics, and we certainly maintain
high standards for our athletes.
Aquinas has been part of Grand
Rapids since 1911, becoming a fouryear college in 1940. Since that time, it
has educated thousands of students and
has been committed to the principles of
faith, learning, service and community.
Martin Luther King, Jr, once said,
The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think
critically. Intelligence plus character
that is the goal of true education. The
staff and students of Aquinas College
would surely agree.
Jane Whittington is a freelance
writer and editor who lives in Grand
Rapids.
of the West Michigan culture and community. said Brian Ryks, GFIA Executive
Director.
We will continue to make improvements in our facility to make traveling
comfortable, convenient, customerfriendly and cost-effective. Todays
approval from the airport board solidifies
that commitment for our regions travelers.
The CIP is required to be submitted to
the
Michigan
Department
of
Transportation
(MDOT)
Office
of
Aeronautics, and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) on an annual basis.
5
Before the Exit Bubble Bursts, Be Aware of the Top
Five Reasons Business Sales Go Bad
by Tensie Homan
As a business owner, you might be
dreaming of the day when you sell your
business and ride (or sail) off into the
sunset. That dream may be more difficult
to achieve than you realize. Historically,
only 25% of businesses up for sale actually sell. The odds could get worse in the
Exit Bubble, when millions of baby
boomer business owners exit their businesses over the next decade.
Business sales go bad for a variety of
reasons, but sellers can improve their
odds of success by understanding the top
five reasons business sales go bad.
Sellers are unsure what comes next
for them. If you are like most business
owners, you live and breathe your business. What will happen when you no
longer run your business? How will you
fill your time? You might assume you will
have time to figure this out after you sell
the business. Unfortunately, not having a
clear vision for life after the sale is a common reason a business sale goes bad. The
fear of the unknown can be overwhelming, leading you to stay in your comfort
zone of running the business. Take the
Toll Free
Fax
800-968-8608
616-997-7263
modernofficeinteriors.com
6
Private Exchanges Lowering Employer Costs,
Changing Employee Enrollment Behavior
Detroit - According to an analysis of
GlidePath, Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Michigans private health insurance
exchange, employers and employees are
benefitting from use of the private
exchange by empowering employees as
informed consumers of health care coverage.
The analysis showed Glidepath
increased employee cost awareness,
encouraged employees to make effective
cost choices to meet their needs, and
strengthened knowledge and adoption of
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Here
are the findings:
There was a dramatic increase in
awareness of costs. While only 38 percent of employees in general are aware of
what employers pay for health benefits
on their behalf, 94 percent of employees
using Glidepath were aware of their
employers benefit contribution. The cost
transparency delivered through GlidePath
increased knowledge, involvement and
awareness of health care costs.
Employees had a greater tendency
to choose plans with lower premiums and
higher deductibles. After reviewing the
Legal/Accounting/Consulting Briefs
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced Steve Hilger and Aileen
Leipprandt were listed in 2015 Edition of
Best Lawyers for Construction Law.
Detroit For the fourth consecutive year,
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn,
LLP, was ranked among the top 25 large
companies in Detroit Free Press 2014 Top
Workplaces in Michigan.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced Suzanne Sutherland joined
as Associate Attorney.
Grand Rapids Julie A. Sullivan was
admitted as a Fellow in the prestigious
American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers.
Detroit Honigman Miller Schwartz
and Cohn, LLP, announced Lawrence D.
McLaughlin, Chair of the firms Real
Estate Department, was named Co-Chair
of International Council of Shopping
Centers.
Grand Rapids Andy Portinga was elected President of Federal Bar Association
for the Western District of Michigan.
Grand Rapids Varnum, LLP, ranked
nationally in 3 practice areas and regionally in 55 practice areas in 2015 "Best
Law Firms" list by U.S. News & World
Report and Best Lawyers.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced they received a Tier 1 ranking
in 2015 edition of U.S. News Best Law
Firms.
Detroit Attorney Chao (Charley) Meng
joined Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn, LLP, Corporate Department.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced
Attorney
Benjamin
Hammond achieved the highest possible
rating for both ethical standards and legal
ability and earned rating of 'AV
Preeminent' from Martindale-Hubbell.
7
Live Well, Die Well, and Grieve Well
Grand Rapids - A new organization,
backed by a major local donor and organized by a leading senior living community, recently launched in Grand Rapids
with a mission of helping medical professionals, families and terminally-ill
patients in West Michigan and across
Michigan to live well, die well and grieve
well.
The organization, Trillium
Institute, is one of the first in the nation
dedicated exclusively to helping medical
professionals and families of those with
life-defining illnesses to navigate the
complex end-of-life medical and emotional options.
The nonprofit organization launched
publicly in October and is currently seeking 501(c)(3) status. Trillium Institute is
affiliated with Holland Home and will be
led by an executive director and medical
director, and governed by an independent
board of directors. Trillium Institute has
been in development since January 2014
and is operating with funds from a 3-year
grant given by a local philanthropist personally touched by an experience with
palliative and hospice care.
Well-known palliative care physician, John Mulder, M.D., serves as Medical
Director and healthcare industry consultant Ken Hekman serves as Executive
Director.
people with serious illnesses. The institute was challenged to find fresh ways to
help those with life-defining illnesses as
they navigate the complex medical
options, and equally complex emotional
burdens that await them.
The institute will focus on two distinct audiences: patients and their families, and the medical community.
For both audiences our hope is for
the institute to serve as a resource for
information about how to prepare for serious illness, how to navigate the healthcare delivery system in the face of a diagnosis, and how to communicate their values, preferences and desires to preserve
the quality of life as disease processes
advance, said Hekman.
For the medical community, the institute aims to serve as a resource to train
practicing physicians, medical students,
residents, nurses, physician assistants,
and social workers in the art of clear communication in crucial conversations with
patients and their families. Trillium
Institute will also support advanced medical training for selected physicians who
aspire to become board-certified palliative
care physicians.
To reach these target audiences,
Trillium Institute will focus on offering
educational opportunities. The group has
8
GVSU Engineering, Computing Report Record
Enrollment
Grand Rapids - A record number of
students are enrolling in and graduating
from engineering and computing programs at Grand Valley State University.
The Seymour and Esther Padnos
College of Engineering and Computing
(PCEC) reported that the number of students majoring in engineering programs
has nearly doubled in the last 10 years,
and enrollment in computing and informations
systems
programs
has
increased by 46 percent since 2006.
Paul Plotkowski, dean of the college, said the growth is attributed to
employer demand and student interest,
which is a result of more attention being
paid to STEM disciplines in K-12
schools.
The message that these disciplines
are making a difference in the world is
being heard, Plotkowski said. Ten to
15 years ago, you probably never heard
of work like biomedical engineering.
Today, its a very understood thing and a
good example of how engineering
changes the world.
Plotkowski said the No. 1 piece of
feedback PCEC receives from students is
the benefits of cooperative education, a
program that requires students to complete three semesters of paid intern work
for an employer that is most often located in West Michigan.
Were a very teaching-oriented
A. T
ICHAEL
AWNEY
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
9
Nichols and Kellermeyer Join Forces
Muskegon - As part of a strategic
plan for continued growth and expansion,
Nichols and Kellermeyer are joining
forces. The agreement was closed on
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 and is one of
several acquisitions completed over
Nichols 78 year history. The Kellermeyer
location will be called KellermeyerNichols.
Kellermeyer has been a family owned
and operated janitorial and industrial
supply distributor for over 70 years. The
company has grown to a multi-million
Business Briefs
Holland EBW Electronics was named
again to The 2014 Inc. 500/5000 annual
rankings list, and Pat LeBlanc, Chairman,
was named 2014 Small Business Person
of the Year by Michigan West Coast
Chamber of Commerce. EBW has experienced a 700% growth over the past five
years, and has doubled its employees.
Lansing ASCE Michigan Section
selected Carey Suhan, PE, as its 20142015 President, and elected new officers
for 2015: President-Elect - Therese
Kline, PE; Vice President - Steven
Waalkes, PE; Treasurer - Melinda
Bacon, PE; Secretary - Christopher
Owen, PE; and Past President - Ronald
Goldie, PE.
Grand Rapids Columbian Logistics
Network received Michigan Occupational
Safety and Health Administration Safety
and Health Achievement Recognition
Program award for its Grand Rapids distribution center.
Holland/Zeeland TNT Roofing, Inc.
was presented with West Coast Chambers
IMPACT Award for their work with
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity.
P: (616) 452-6763
F: (616) 452-6661
www.dynaplate.com
10
Communication & IT
C/D/H Announces Merger with
Blue Sphere and New Leadership
Grand Rapids - C/D/H, the enterprise
technology solutions consultancy, today
announced it has merged with Blue
Sphere Solutions, a Grand Rapids based
software development firm. From this
acquisition, C/D/H adds a portfolio of successful software products and an established software development team to its
user-centric SharePoint, application
development, cloud and infrastructure
consulting services.
In addition to this acquisition, C/D/H
is announcing changes to its leadership.
Co-founder and Managing Partner Paul
Review of Conspiracy
Theories and Other
Dangerous Ideas
Obamas New Progressivism that urges
a less-ambitious role for government.
Conservatives bash Sunstein, now a
Harvard professor, as a big-government
liberal, but he presents measured,
nuanced views on public policy. He
acknowledges that spending too much
time with only like-minded people leads
both liberals and conservatives into
extremism, and explains why people savor
conspiracy theories. Sunsteins writing
style is engaging, though his often-strong
opinions sometimes dissipate or disappear,
as in a rudderless chapter on climate
change. getAbstract recommends his intelligent essays to students of government,
policy makers, those interested in animal
rights or cognitive science, and corporate
leaders seeking insight into decision making.
Provided by www.getabstract.com
Legal scholar and former Obama
administration official Cass R. Sunsteins
essays provide insight into a variety of
issues, including conspiracy theories, climate change, animal rights and a form of
Construction Briefs
West Michigan - Signature Associates
has negotiated:
the sale of two industrial buildings
totaling 14,600 square feet located at
2217 & 2221 Lemuel Street, Muskegon
Heights, Michigan to Essex Property
Management, LLC. for the seller, Concept
Realty Holdings, LLC.
the lease of 1,120 square feet of office
space located at 3036-3088 Sheffield
Street, Muskegon, Michigan to MOKA for
the landlord, Richard Ghezzi.
Kalamazoo CSM Group announced Ali
Rogers was promoted to Brand Manager.
having options
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network have a wide range of
comprehensive health plans to help you make the right choice for your business.
GROUP HEALTH PLANS
DENTAL
VISION
bcbsm.com/employer
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